marginal
adjective
1. at or constituting a border or edge
- the marginal strip of beach
Similar word(s): peripheral, fringy
2. of questionable or minimal quality
- marginal writing ability
Similar word(s): minimal, minimum, borderline
3. just barely adequate or within a lower limit
- a marginal victory
4. producing at a rate that barely covers costs
- marginal industries
Similar word(s): unprofitable
Sentences with marginal as an adjective:
- The marginal area at the edge of the salt-marsh has its own plants.
- In recent years there has been an increase in violence against marginal groups.
- There were more marginal notes than text.
- Monmouthshire is a Welsh county marginal to England.
- His writing ability was marginal at best.
- Having reviewed the test, there are two students below the required standard and three more who are marginal.
- He farmed his marginal land with difficulty.
- In Bristol West, Labour had a majority of only 1,000, so the seat is considered highly marginal this time around.
noun
1. Something that is marginal.
2. A constituency won with a small margin.